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Notes: Loe to miss his next start

Notes: Loe to miss his next start

ARLINGTON -- Kameron Loe is going to miss one start because of a sore right elbow and is expected to be replaced by right-hander Jamey Wright when his spot comes up next week in Detroit.

The elbow was a problem for Loe against the Kansas City Royals on Monday when he allowed two runs on five hits and four walks over three innings in an 8-1 loss.

Dr. Keith Meister looked at Loe and said he had some inflammation in the elbow, but nothing appears to be seriously wrong.

"My velocity was still good," Loe said. "I just got erratic because I was trying to find a release point where I could throw and not have it hurt."

Loe could rejoin the rotation a week from Saturday in Oakland. Wright will likely start one of the two games in Tuesday's doubleheader against the Tigers in Detroit. The Rangers thought about left-hander A.J. Murray, but aren't eager to have him make his first Major League start against the Tigers' predominantly right-handed lineup.

Murray rejoined the Rangers on Tuesday as a September callup and will be used out of the bullpen the rest of the month. But the Rangers are still looking at Murray as a future starter more than a candidate to be in their bullpen next year.

"I'd like to make this team out of the 'pen," Murray said. "But if I can make it eventually as a starter, I'd love to have a career as a starter in the big leagues."

White becomes bullpen candidate: The Rangers need for left-handed setup relief led them to call up reliever Bill White from Double-A Frisco on Tuesday. White was a third-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft who had to overcome some injuries and control problems to try and get to the big leagues.

If the Rangers use C.J. Wilson as their closer in 2008, they are going to be needing left-handed setup relievers and Minor League pitching coordinator Rick Adair recommended White.

"We've heard good things," pitching coach Mark Connor said. "He has always been a kid with a good arm. He's had some control problems, but he throws anywhere from 90 to 94 [mph] with a good, hard slider. Rick has been in this guy's corner, just saying he's a guy we need to look at, especially in our situation."

White was 2-0 with a 4.44 ERA in 43 appearances in Frisco. He averaged 11.8 strikeouts and 4.8 walks per nine innings. The Rangers picked him up after he was released by Washington in Spring Training.

Otsuka shuts down: Akinori Otsuka reported more pain in his right elbow when he tried to throw on flat ground Tuesday. It's all but certain that he will not pitch again this season. He has been sidelined since the end of June with pain and inflammation in his right elbow/forearm area.

"He said it was hurting," Connor said. "We'll keep trying. If he says he can throw, he'll throw."

McCarthy goes off mound: Brandon McCarthy, on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his right shoulder blade, took another big step toward returning when he threw 24 pitches off a mound on Tuesday without any problems.

"Everything felt great," McCarthy said. "This is the best I've felt since God knows how long."

McCarthy will throw another bullpen session on Friday and then possibly two simulated games. He could get into a couple of games before the season ends, but has volunteered to pitch as many as three or four games in the instructional league to get his innings totals up.

Feldman alters delivery: Reliever Scott Feldman has made some changes in his delivery. Instead of sidearm, Feldman is throwing from a three-quarters delivery, which Connor said is giving him more sink on his fastball and downward movement on his breaking ball.

"This has a chance to be pretty good," Connor said after watching Feldman use the new delivery for the first time on Monday night. "He was busting his fastball 94-95, the ball was sinking and his four-seamer was cutting."

Murphy stays in lineup: David Murphy, hitting .390 in 20 games with the Rangers, was in the lineup for the fourth straight game on Tuesday. Nelson Cruz, hitting .212, sat for the second straight game. Jason Botts was in left field.

The Rangers went into the final two months wanting to play Botts and Cruz regularly, but Murphy is forcing his way into those plans.

"He's certainly earned the time he's getting," manager Ron Washington said. "He's making us put him in there. Every day he has been in there, he has done well. We haven't given up on Cruz and Botts, but right now [Murphy] is playing."

He said it: "I thought I was going with Frisco in the playoffs. I was kind of stunned. Sitting here, seeing all these guys ... you try to say it's still 60-feet, six-inches. You tell yourself to do what you've been doing. If they think you're good enough to be in the Major Leagues then they think you can get people out." -- White, on being called to the big leagues

Tuesday's Minor stars:Gold: Frisco outfielder John Mayberry Jr. went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Splitting time between Frisco and Class A Bakersfield, Mayberry -- the Rangers No. 1 Draft pick in 2005 -- ended up hitting .235 with 30 home runs and 83 RBIs in 132 games and 489 at-bats.

Silver: Class A Bakersfield outfielder Ben Harrison went 3-for-4 with a home run in a 5-2 victory over San Jose.

Bronze: First baseman Chris Kemp had three hits and Chad Tracy had two hits, including a home run, for Class A Clinton in a 7-5 loss to Burlington.

Briefly: Outfielder Freddy Guzman was called up on Tuesday, but Washington said he'll be used mainly as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner. ... The Rangers are planning to call up pitcher Luis Mendoza from Double-A Frisco for Wednesday's game. The Rangers are concerned about the workload of some of their relievers and want to make sure they have enough fresh arms. ... Edinson Volquez (3-1, 0.55 ERA) was the Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August, while Chris Davis (.302, 11 HRs, 23 RBIs) was the Player of the Month ... The Rangers made the following moves for the Minor League playoffs: sent right-hander Armando Galarraga from Triple-A Oklahoma to Double-A Frisco; sent outfielder Tim Smith, right-hander Andrew Laughter and second baseman Renny Osuna from Class A Spokane to Class A Clinton; sent righty Julio Santana, infielder Jay Heafner and outfielder Josh Bradbury from Clinton to Spokane.